The First Easter
by Ramica
Summary: Splinter decides to celebrate the Easter holiday with his four six year old sons. Though Don laters questions the bunny thing. some religious bits.


The First Easter.

Rating: K

Disclaimer: I deny any ownership of any character in this story.

Author's note: Some spiritual talk. Ramica

Splinter knew money was tight, it always was but he would find many stray coins on his trips topside and he would pocket them, then store it in a safe place in their home, to buy a few of the basic necessities that he could not find in garbage dumpsters, no matter how good, or bad the scavenging may be. Many times they had gone hungry and Splinter had sacrificed all he could for his boys at that time, choosing to fast so they could have more. On rare occasions he might find a bill that had been carelessly dropped by someone and with no one around to claim it, Splinter was all too glad to keep it, after all he did have a family to fend for, four sons who were growing and learning.

The thought of his boys, caused him to smile, they were good kids for the most part, though they did have their arguments, disagreements and battles they were quick to make up, and he enjoyed how excited they were whenever he managed to bring home something to amuse them, no matter how broken or used the item was, it was a wonderful gift. It often made him wish he could do a little something more for them. He was doing his best to teach his sons not just the basics of ninjitsu, the katas and weapon skills, but other things such as reading, writing and other basics. Many times he was only further then his students in some of these things.

Still Splinter had a very lucky night of scavenging, not so much food wise, though there was enough to do, but in the fact he had found, for him, a large sum of money, money that could last...well for quite some time. He had cut through Central Park to get home from scavenging and his sharp eyes had drawn him to a bill lying on the ground half under a bush, it was a twenty. A whole twenty, splinter had found the occasional five, but never more then that.

His whiskers twitched with delight at the money he had, he could buy milk, tea, and maybe some eggs too. Eggs were a very rare treat in their home, but it was an easy source of protein. He would still have money left over even after that.

Splinter now brewed himself a cup of tea, and headed for the rocking chair in the living area of their home, a small mat woven from strips of cloth lay on the cement floor there was a rocking chair and four other chairs, the sort some might use around the kitchen table. There were books on a shelf against one wall, the shelf made from bits of wood, and bricks. The books were all tattered, dirty, some were missing their covers but and they covered many different subjects, ideas, and stories. There was a coffee table, and an end table. Splinter lit a few of the candles around the room before settling down in the chair to enjoy his drink. _' I really ought to do something special for my sons, a treat for all of us.'_ Splinter mused.

Even as he thought it he knew he could use that money later for something more useful then a simple treat, and that perhaps he ought to hold onto the change and buy only what was needed. He silently debated, when one had so little money a downfall like this was wonderful, but one had to look to the future for money didn't last forever. Still, they had gotten by before without such goods and they could again, and besides his sons deserved something special, _' They are good boys, and it means so much to them.' _He assured himself, _'and if I could find a way to make this something they will remember for always, it will mean more to them then all the money in the world.'_

Splinter slowly rocked as he looked at some newspapers scattered under the coffee table, and colourful flyers proclaiming Easter Specials. This Easter thing was nothing new Splinter, had seen it every year around April. The flyers always showed candy, stuffed toys and other things for Easter, usually things associated with rabbits and chickens. At first Splinter had not understood this Easter concept, especially as some magazines he found insisted Easter had to do with a great event that happened long ago. It was only some time later, a few years that he found one magazine, it was for children that sort of tied everything together.

The magazine said the first Easter was connected to this event from long ago. and how Easter was now related not only to that but to the renewal of life. Easter came in Spring when every thing came alive again, flowers bloomed, trees budded and leafed out. The egg the symbol of renewal, and new life was brightly coloured using dye, of greens, blues and other cheery spring colours. Sweetbreads known as hotcrossed buns were also an Easter tradition, and then somehow there was a rabbit that gotten mixed up in it too, the Easter bunny who hid the eggs and chocolates for kids. Splinter couldn't recall quite how the rabbit got mixed into the whole thing, perhaps it was a fun thing for the children to relate too.

Either way, Easter seemed steeped in tradition, and was as ancient as many of the traditions Splinter was trying to teach his sons. Since Splinter wanted to teach his sons many things, he decided then and there that this year they would use some of that money to celebrate Easter. They could dye eggs, and he could buy them a little candy for a special treat. Perhaps a small chocolate rabbit and some jelly beans for each of them.

With that decided he drained the last of his cup and headed to the kitchen to rinse it out, and determined to gather the items before the coming weekend.

XXX

There was a cooler part of their sewer home where Splinter stored the perishable items, he had managed to buy all he needed a couple dozen eggs, some of the buns, candy, and a bunch of bananas as well for their Easter celebration, he knew none of the boys came close to the cool area, for they felt it was too cold for their likings, so he knew the items would remain secret. His whiskers twitched with delight.

Over the next couple of days Splinter kept an eye out for any old baskets that were worn in thrift store dumpster that he might be able to use for Easter baskets for each of his sons.

A few evenings later Splinter prepared the dye in old cups and set them on the table that was covered in newspaper. He retrieved the eggs that he boiled the night before on the camp stove, which heated any of their cooked meals. He nodded his head sure he had everything and then went out to the living room where the four six year old boys were playing a game of tag, Michelangelo bumped into Splinter's leg as he chased Raph.

"I sorry" Michelangelo backed up putting on a pout and giving a sad eyed look.

"It is all right my son, you did no harm." Splinter assured him, "But come into the kitchen I have a surprise for all of you."

The four looked at one another. Mike beamed "I bet ya it's food." he crowed.

"Race ya" Raphael challenged as he took off.

"No fair Raph you cheated" Leo protested stomping his foot as Raph took off instantly, "You should say go first!" Leo grouched before racing off after his brothers.

"I was right, I was right, I was riiiiiiiiigggggghhhhhtttttttt!" Mike sang as he danced around the table, "It food, it eggs. Didn't I tell ya it was food. I was right."

"Shaddup!" Raph snapped swinging at Mike as he danced by.

Don got up in the chair and looked at the cups, he sniffed, his tiny muzzle working and scrunching up a bit, "This isn't tea."

"I was riiiiggghhhtttt" Mike insisted.

"No body cares Mike" Leo snorted a bit.

"Yeah!" Raph agreed.

"But ya got to care coz I was right." Mike said.

"No we don't" Raph grinned at Leo as he crossed his arms over his plastron.

"My sons, if you please take your seats. I will show you what to do with your eggs, we are going colour them and make them pretty." Splinter explained.

Mike paused a puzzled look on his face "I tought we'd eat 'em."

"We will tomorrow morning Michelangelo" Splinter stated.

"But I'm hungry **nooooooooowwwww!**" he groaned suddenly clutching his stomach.

Raph looked at Leo wondering if Leo had an idea why, their father would want them to do such a silly thing, "But 'Plinter, we sposta colour pictures not food."

Splinter saw that all of the turtle children seemed confused by this strange concept. "Come it will be fun. I boiled the eggs, and I will tell you things while we work, and then after wards you may have your snack and go to bed and in the morning you find many treats."

"Treats!" all four chorused in excitement as they scrambled to their chairs.

"Now take your egg, and dip it in the colour you want, like so," Splinter demonstrated by dunking an entire egg in the yellow dye, when you have left it in as long as you wish, you remove it with the spoon." Splinter drew his egg out on the spoon.

"I want da orange" Mike announced.

"I want red." Raph announced.

"I'll take green for now" Leo smiled as he reached for the cup.

"Blue, I guess is mine for starters" Don murmured reflectively. "But I want red later."

Leo dipped one egg into the green dye, waiting patiently, and then pulled it out with the spoon it was a bright green.

Don glanced up "Why are we doing this Master?"

Splinter smiled, "It is something fun to celebrate Spring when all life starts to come awake, the flowers and animals that sleep during the winter come out. The days grow warmer."

"Not warm here" Raph commented.

" At this time of year is a special holiday called Easter, that the people above celebrate." Splinter continued ignoring Raph's interruption, "They colour eggs as a symbol of renewed life, for from eggs come life."

Don nodded, birds started in an egg, so did many reptiles, and fish, though he wasn't sure about other animals. He knew lots of animals gave birth to live young, they didn't lay eggs.

Mike made a face "Ewwww!" he announced, "We are eatin' somethin' live?"

Raph smacked Mike, "Don't be stupid! Course not!"

Don took the red from Raph and dropped his robin blue egg into it. "No Mike, these eggs are meant for eating they don't have live animals."

Mike turned to look at Splinter's furry face "Is Donny right?"

"Of course he is," Splinter assured Mike. "Many children believe in the Easter rabbit that hides the coloured eggs for the children to find on Easter."

Leo turned from holding his egg so just one end of it was in the blue "Rabbit, like the turtle and hare story?"

"Something like that" Splinter replied.

Don scowled for a moment then shrugged as he concentrated on his egg, he spooned it up just a little then dipped it back down for a few more minutes, when he finally withdrew it the egg was purple.

Mike's jaw dropped "How'd ya get purple Donny?"

"By mixing colours" Don replied.

"I wanna try. I wanna try." Mike insisted as he reached for another egg and a free cup.

Raph seeing Leo's half blue and half orange egg, decided to try something similar of his own.

By the time they were nearing the last few eggs, Raph and Mike were growing bored and flipping bits of dye at one another when they thought Splinter wasn't looking. Splinter however was quite aware of their shenanigans and quickly told all of them "Finish up your eggs and prepare for bed. Perhaps the Easter rabbit will come and hide all your wonderful eggs for you to find."

"Cept Mikey's ugly egg that he used all colours on." Raph cut in.

"It's a nice egg" Mike protested.

"All your flicking dye has got spots of colour on some of the eggs" Don pointed out.

"You even put spots on my blue egg" Leo moaned.

"Aw makes it look bettah, Leo" Raph insisted.

"You really think the Easter rabbit will come?" Mike asked curiously.

" You will have to wait for morning to find out." Splinter announced as the boys finished the eggs and headed to wash up. It wasn't much longer before he tucked them all into bed and went to clean up the kitchen. _' Truly the time I got to spend with my sons was memorable and I am sure that they will recall it later themselves. It was worth it for that alone." _Splinter set up the camp stove to heat up some water for tea, he was ready for a cup by this time.

Suddenly he heard a noise behind him Splinter turned around to see Don in the doorway of the kitchen, "Donatello why are you not in bed?"

"Master, is there a rabbit big enough to well, do what the Easter rabbit does?" Don inquired, " Is it like us maybe?" he pressed earnestly.

Splinter smiled, he should have known the most inquisitive one of the bunch would not be satisfied with such a simple answer, and yet he did not like to lie to his sons, except to possibly protect them from certain things. Splinter sat at the table with his tea, and gestured for Don to come onto his lap, "Why do you not believe my son?"

Don shrugged, "Just don't make sense" Don sighed as he snuggled close to his father.

Splinter nodded, "There is another story about Easter Donatello, it is a story of a great man who lived long ago. He helped cure the sick, and caused the blind to see. He changed people's lives for the better. But he was hated by some, feared by others."

"Sort of like us?" Don wondered. "You say people would hate and fear us if they knew."

"A little like that" Splinter allowed as he stroked the child's carapace. "Those who didn't care for him brought him before the courts on a false charge, and he died in a terrible way, and no Donatello I will not tell you how he died exactly for I don't want you having nightmares, but he died up on a cross, and those who believe this story, say that he did it to save mankind's souls."

Don shook his head, "How can that be though, what's a soul?"

"A soul is a part inside all of us, that helps us know right from wrong. But all of us do wrong sometimes, and that is why those who believe in this great man say that he can cleanse their souls of the evil they have done, because his death was planned, it was meant." Splinter hugged the child to him,"Just as I believe it was meant for me to find you." Splinter paused, "The man was laid in a tomb, but three days later the tomb was empty and it was told he was alive. Those who knew him before his death saw him, and knew by his wounds he received that it was him."

Don laughed "That not true. You don't believe it do you?"

"What I believe is not important, it is what you believe. Many people say that this man's death and return to life is the reason, the entire reason for Easter. I have seen some very magical things in life, Donatello. Things that should not be, yet exist nonetheless. So perhaps this story is not so false after all." Splinter soothed.

"What was his name?" Don asked.

"He was called Jesus." Splinter replied. "Now off to bed my son, it is late and past time for you to be asleep."

XXX

Mike of course was the first one up and he ran out to the kitchen, his eyes growing wide as he saw the four baskets. He tore back into the bedroom waking his brother's "Get up he was here. He was here. The bunny came. He left candy."

Raph sat up with a groggy yawn rubbing his eyes "Candy?"

"Yeah." Mike reported.

That had all of them tumbling out of bed to race and elbow, or trip each other along the way to the kitchen. Mike pointed to the table with the baskets that held the one chocolate bunny, tiny chocolate eggs, and jelly beans. Each of the boys grabbed a basket and Mike jammed some jelly beans into his mouth. Just as Splinter entered.

Splinter thumped his walking stick down "That is enough Michelangelo, you must not spoil your appetite for breakfast" he scolded.

"But I'm so hungry" Mike wailed.

"You must hunt for your eggs that are hidden around the lair before we eat. Now all of you give me your baskets, and I will but the goodies in a bag with your name on it, so there will be no fighting over whose is whose," Splinter declared, though he knew the fights would break out anyways, "Then you may use your baskets to put in the eggs you found."

In moments the four turtles were scrambling around the lair finding the eggs, some of them were easy to find others much harder, but by the time all of the eggs had been found Splinter had the table ready with milk the buns and fruit. "Now we can enjoy our meal." Splinter smiled.

Mike grinned "Oh boy. I'm starved."

A few seconds later Mike sat staring at his eggs, but not peeling them. Splinter glanced up "Whatever is wrong my son?"

"I don't want to break these pretty eggs open to eat them." Mike complained, giving a sad shake of his head.

Raph and Leo snickered. But don gave a sympathetic smile "It does seem a shame" he agreed.

Splinter pointed to the eggs, "Michelangelo, you know we can't waste food. Plus you won't get any candy unless you ea a good breakfast."

Mike shrugged giving a sly grin "Eh, it's just an egg" he said as he began to peel it.

The End.


End file.
